Not bad, but a bit dry sounding. - 70%

The idea of a Quiet Riot without Kevin Dubrow at the helm was fairly alien to me when I came across this album a while back. Questions of whether or not the attitude that was on full display on “Metal Health” could be maintained with a different voice or if the general direction of the band would now change are no doubt on the minds of anyone who sees this, Quiet Riot’s self-titled album, with the guy from Rough Cutt in Dubrow’s stead.

In short, although this is by no means the worst brand of glam rock I’ve heard, is also not in anyway close to the same league as the Quiet Riot everyone knows. Paul Shortino can be best described as a mix of Joe Lynn Turner and David Coverdale; his voice is deeper and lacks any of the sleaze that Dubrow oozed from his vocal chords so gracefully. When Shortino is on, he’s on in a “Here I Go Again” way, not in a “Cum on Feel the Noise” way.

The lead guitar work on here is the typical mishmash of Brian May and Eddie Van Halen worship with the occasional Matthias Jabs references, probably best exemplified in the brief lead guitar dominated instrumental “Lunar Obsession”, which is probably the most metal thing on this album. Riff work is pretty basic Deep Purple and Led Zepplin fare, especially when you add in the rock organ doubling the guitar in about half of the songs on here.

As to stand out tracks, aside from the melancholy and somewhat outer spacey interlude “Lunar Obsession”, “In a Rush” is a solid speed metal song in the early NWOBHM style. Shortino’s vocals are at their best, and almost remind me a little bit of Joe Lynn Turner’s work on Malmsteen’s Odyssey, although the song itself is not a neo-classical sounding. “I’m Falling” is also pretty solid for a late 80s radio song, definitely no shortage of hooks and classic clichés.

My prognosis on this is somewhat lukewarm, mostly because a lot of this is merely passable 80s cock rock with a few exceptional standouts. “Metal Health” is essential buying for metal fans, while this is an optional addition if you don’t mind hearing a more Dokken-like version of the same band that featured a metal ski-masked madman on their breakthrough album. I paid $6 for it and I could see myself maybe paying $8 for it tops.